Railway-signal



No. 627,243. Patented June 20, I899.

H. B. TAYLOR.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

{Application filed Oct. 15, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

....1.mmlllllllmlmmum WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY No. 627,243. Patented June 20, I899. H. B. TAYLOR.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

(Application filed Oct. 15, 1898.),

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet 2.

WITNESSES: IINVENTOR ATTORN EY TN: Mamas PETERS co. vuormumo. WASNINGYON. a c.

' UNITED STATns PATENT Guinea.-

HERBERT B. TAYLOR, OF NEWARK, NE\V JERSEY.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,243, dated June 20, 1899.

Application filed October 15, 1898. Serial No. 693,581. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LHERBERT l5. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State ling the operation of the motor which actuates the semaphore.

In carrying outthe invention I mount upon the signal tower or pole an electric motor by which a worm-shaft is driven, the worm communicating motion through a sector to a balanced semaphore, thus providing a sensitive mechanism in which the semaphore may be positively controlled by an electric motor, the high speed of which is adapted to produce a rapid action of the semaphore through the mediation of the worm and also providing an effective lock against change of position of the semaphore through accidental causes, such as snow, ice, or wind. I mount on the worm-shaft a follower or nut adapted to run freely to and fro on a screw mountedon the shaft, by which circuit-breakers are actuated to open the motor-circuits when the signal has been shifted to a danger or a safety position. Electric circuits controlled by the position of a train on the track operate currentreversers or other similar contrivance for changing the direction of operation of the m 0- tor at different determinate positions of a train. The system may be operated on a normal danger or a normal safety plan, though, as herein shown and described, 1 prefer to operate on the normal danger plan. Thus a train on approaching a signal-station or enterin g a block, if the track ahead be clear, will find a sema hore at dan er and the 0 eration of the controlling mechanism will shift it to safety, and thus indicate a clear track to the engineer. On leaving the signal-station the signal will again be automatically restored to danger. Thus during the presence of a train in the track or protected district :1- following traincannot get a clear-signal.

Such systems of control have been heretofore employed 5 but my invention involves a novel system of circuits and controlling devices for accomplishing the result.

The several features of novelty of the invention will be more particularly hereinafter described and will be more definitely indicated in the claims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation. of a semaphore and its operating mechanism embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on irregular plane indicated by the line 00 y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the controlling circuits, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of a structural feature of the operating mechanism by which the motor is permitted to acquire some speed before coming upon its work.

Upon a signal-toweror pole 1 I mount an electric motor 2, which may be of any desired type of construction. Upon the shaft of the motoris mounted a worm 3, which communicates motion through a worm-gear 4: to a worm-shaft 5. The latter carries a Worm 6, engaging a gear-sector 7, secured to a rockshaft, on which is mounted a balanced semaphore 8-. The worm-gearing, by which the motor communicates its motion to the wormshaft, may, if desired, be replaced by-spurgearing, though I prefer to use a worm at both ends of the worm-shaft; but the Worm-gearing between the semaphore and the wormshaft is essential, since it produces a lock which prevents the semaphore from tilting when loaded with snow or ice. On the wormshaft is a screw 9, which engages a nut 10, capable of running freely back'and forth upon the screw and kept from turning bya pin 11, (see Fig. 2,) which runs in a slot in the sup porting-frame or a slotted piece secured thereto. The nut 10 carries apin 12, which at opposite ends of its traverse engages a circuitbreaker 13 or 14:, either of which opens the motor-circuit. The controlling-circuit of the motor includes also current-reversers, as will be presently described; but the only point at which the motor-circuit is opened when alive with current is at the circuit-breakers 13 14:, and these are provided with devices for subduing the sparking. Such a device has been Ioo fullydescribed and claimed ina companion application filed by me and need, therefore, be only briefly discussed here. It comprises a set of double contact-points, one pair being of carbon and the other pair of metal, so arranged that the break occurs on the carbon contacts, which are well adapted to stand the spark. The metal contacts are two light springs, as shown at in Fig. 1, which come together after the carbons have been brought into contact, so as to form a rubbing. contact, the engaging tips being suitably curled, as indicated, to produce such an action. Thus on a rupture of the circuit the metallic contact, which affords the best path for the current, opens before the carbons separate. The motorand its accompanying mechanism, by

which the semaphore is operated, are housed in a suitable cover to protect the working parts from rain or dust.

The controlling electric circuits are shown in Fig. 3, two signal-stations on one track of adouble-track system beingindicated. There are two track-relays 16 16 at each station, one for the rear and one for the forward section or block, normally fed with current by track bat'teries 17 17, adapted to be shortcircuited by a wheel and axle of a train when the latter bridges the rails of the block. A local storage battery 18 supplies the drivingmotor 19 of the signal with current through a current-reverser controlled by a magnet 20 or 20 and armatures 21 21, controlled by the relays 16 16 and guarding the forward and rear blocks, respectively. A shunt from the storage battery also includes the motor-circuits through the contacts of the current-reverse-rs and the circuit-breakers 13 14, already referred to in describing the semaphore. Insulated joints are provided at determinate points along the track, corresponding to the length of the blocks, and preferably at or near the signal-stations. These joints may be provided ononly one side of the track, as indicated by the breaks in Fig. 3. Parts of three consecutive blocks or tracksections are shown in the drawings and a wheel and axle are indicated as having entered section A. When it passes into block .B, track-battery 17, which feeds the relay 16, is short-circuited and the relay-armature 21, which is normally closed, falls against its back-stop, closing a circuit from the storage battery 18 by way of relay-armature 21, which is normally closed, wire 22, armature 21', wire 23, magnet-coil 20 of the current-reverser, and wires 24 and 25, back to the storage battery. The reversing-switch is thus drawn down, closing a shunt-circuit from the storage battery by way of wire 26, circuitbreaker 14, which is normally closed, as will be; presently seen, wire 27, through two pairs of contacts 28 29, wires 30 and 31, through the-field-coil F M of the motor, wires 32 and to a companion set of insulated contacts on-thereversing-switch, wires 34 .and 35 to the armature of the motor, through the latof wires 36 and 25. actuated in an opposite direction to its prior ter in the direction indicated by the arrow, and thence by wires 36 and 25 back to the battery. The motor, thus operated in a definite direction, lowers the semaphore-blade by operating the worm-gearing and simultaneously causes the nut 10 to rise on the screw 9, permitting'the circuit-breaker 13 to close, and when the semaphore is lowered to the desired angle engaging the lever of circuitbreaker 14 and opening it and stopping the motor. In order to permit the motor to acquire headway before meeting its work, the worm-wheel 4 is mounted loosely on the worm-shaft (see Fig. 4) and the shaft can make a turn before a stop-pin 37, secured to the shaft, engages a boss secured to the wormwheel. Thus the motor may make three or four revolutions, depending upon the reduction of the gearing, before it engages its work with the worm-shaft. During this period it acquires sufficient speed to cause a rapid motion of the parts and move the semaphore from a danger to a safety position, or vice versa, in a short time, and an economy of power is effected. hen a train in its progress passes the signal-station, relay 16 will be deenergized, causing armature 21 toenergize magnet-coil of the OlHlGYlU-PB"Q1SGI 2O" by way of wires 22, coil 20, and an auxiliarycircuit-breaker 41, controlled mechanically by circuit-breaker 13 and opening and closing with it, thus actuating the current-reverser controlled by coil 20 and closing the storage-battery circuit by way of contact 13, (which has now been closed by the entrance of the train into block A,) wire 26, the con- 'tacts of the circuit-breaker, wires 38, 39, and

32, through the field-magnet F M in areverse sense to the prior operation, by way of wire 31 and wire 40 to the contacts of the current-reverser, by way of wire 35 and the armature of the motor in the same sense as before, and back to the storage battery by way Thus the motor will be movement and will shift the nut 10 backalong the screw 9, permitting the circuit-breaker 14 to close and opening circuit-breaker 13. Thus the signal will be set to danger and will remain in this condition until the block is again entered. A following train cannot drop the semaphore to a safety position, or, in other words, cannot get a clear- "signal until the track-section B has-beenvacated, since. the armature 21? re mainsagains't its back-stop as long as the block is occupied,

and this armature is included in series with the armature 21, controlled by the block A.

When, however, block B is Vacated, arm-ature 21 is drawn to its front stop, and a following train on entering blockAcan receive a clear-signal by dropping the semaphore, as hereinbefore described. Moreover, if there should. be a broken rail or any other interference with the track equipment the signal would be similarly held at danger. The arrangement of the signal-controlling circuits for all blocks or sections is precisely similar to that for blocks A and B. It need not, therefore, be described. A siding is shown between the two signal-stationsin Fig. 3. If a train should run upon the siding which is electrically connected with one rail of block B, it will hold the signal in the rear in a danger position in spite of the entrance of the block by a following train. If a train having passed out of the forward block B should back into it, the opening of the controllingcircuit for current-reverser at the relayarmature 21 will prevent a train entering rear block A from giving a clear-signal. The normal condition of the parts when no train is in the protected districtis shown at the signal-station for blocks B and 0. As will be seen, the sparleabsorbing circuit-breaker 14 is closed in a position to drop the semaphore and give a clear-signal when a train approachesthesignal. Theauxiliary circuitbreaker, operated when the circuit-breaker 13 is actuated, provides for'opening the controlling-circuit of the current-reversin g relay 2O after the motor has been operated, and thus prevents the relay 2O from using up the energy of the storage battery while the train remains on the section. The relay is thus vitalized for a short length of time sufficient to effect the operation of the currentreversing switch, and then the operation of the signal opens the circuit, and thus cuts the battery out.

In order to provide for a case when a train after entering the rear block backs out of it, I connect the front and rear stops of relayarmatures 21 and 21 by a connection 42. If after a signal has been thrown to safety, as

. shown at signal-station A, the train should back out of block A, the signal will again be restored'to the danger position, a circuit being closed from the storage battery 18 by way of relay-armatu re 2l,wire 4:4, relay-armature 21, wire 4.2, wire 22, reversing-coil 2O of the reversing-switch, auxiliary circuit-breaker 41, (which is now closed,) and wire 43 back to battery by way of wire 25. This operates the reversing-switch controlled by coil 20, the motor-circuit being closed by way of wire 26, contact 13, wire 38, wire 39, wire 32, fieldmagnet of motor, wire 31, wire 40, wire 35, motor-arm ature, and wires 86 and 25 back to the battery. Thus the signal will be again shifted to danger.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks or sections, signal-stations located at or near the junction of the blocks, track-relays guarding the forward and rear blocks, respectively, an electric motor for op erating the signals, and a current-reversing apparatus for the motor operated by the relays.

2. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks or sections, signal-stations located at or near the junction of the blocks, track-relays guarding the blocks or sections forward and rearward of the signal, respectively, current-reversing apparatus operated by the relays, signal-operating electric motor and source of energyin circuit therewith, and two circuit-breakers in the motor-circuits one being opened and the other closed when the motor operates.

3. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks or tracksections, a series of signal-stations at or near the junction of adjacent blocks, relays at each signal-station connected with the track-rails of forward and rear blocks and adapted to be short-circuited by the presence of a train in a block, track-batteries feeding the same, a signal-operatin g electric motor, a on rrent-reversin g device for said motor, two controlling-circuits for the reversing device, one governed by both relay-armatures and the other by one of them, and two circuit-breakers in the motor-circuit actuated to open the circuit, one normally open and the other normally closed said circuit-breakers being actuated when the signal changes its position.

4. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks or track-sections, a plurality of signal-stations located at or near the junction of successive blocks, a track-battery and track relay for each block, an electric motor for actuating the signal operated in reverse directions by the respective trackrelays, circuit-breakers in the motor-circuits actuated when the signal is shifted, one normally open and one normally closed, and an auxiliary circuit-breaker closing and opening with the normally-closed circuitbreaker adapted to open the controlling motor-circuit after the forward block has been entered and the signal operated.

5. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks ,or track-sections, signalstations at or near. the junction of successive blocks, track-relays controlled by the presence of a train in the blocks, a motor-circuit including means for reversing it controlled by the relays of adjacent blocks, circuit-breakers in the motor-circuit provided with sparkabsorbing contacts, and means controlled by the operation of the signal for opening one circuit-breaker and closing the other.

6. A railway signal system comprising a plurality of blocks or track-sections, signalstations at or near the junction of successive blocks, an electric motor for operating thesignal, magnetically-operated current-reversing apparatus for the motor, track-relays controlled by the presence of a train on either side of the signal, means for opening the motor-circuit after operating a signal and setting it for operation by the presence of the train in the next track-section, and electric connections between the relay-contacts for restoring a signal when a train backs out of a section. I

7. A railway signal system comprising a IIS plurality of blocks or sections, signal-stations corresponding thereto, electromagnetic de- Vices controlling the operation of the signals, an electric motor for operating the signal, and worm-gearing between said motor-shaft and the semaphore, circuit connections controlled by the electromagnetic devices for reversing the motor-circuits at determinate positions of a train, and a circuit-breaker operated by the signal for opening the circuit of the magnetic controlling device after a signal has been operated by the entrance of a train in a block, thereby economizing electric energy.

8. A railway signal system comprising a retary motor, a shaft in gear therewith to shift the signal, in either direction, circuit-breakers operated by the motor after a determinate period of movement in either direction to set controlling electric circuits to insure its operation in a reverse direction, and track-contr'olled devices for completing said circuits when the train reaches a determinate point.

9. A railway .signal system comprising a.

plurality of blocks or track-sections, a signalstation at or near the junction of successive blocks, track-relays controlled by track-batteries for the several blocks, a plurality of signals,electric motors for operating the same, and current-reversing apparatus at each signal-station for reversing the motor-circuits, directly controlled for one direction of motor current by one track-relay and for the other by the joint action of both relays.

10. A railway-signal comprising a signaloperating electric motor geared to said signal so as to positively control the same for both directions of movement, a worm on the shaft of said motor, a shaft driven thereby, an auxiliary worm on said shaft in gear with the semaphore, a loose gear member between the motor and the semaphore to permit the motor to acquire speed before clutching its work to operate the semaphore in either direction, a

circuit-changer controlling the motor, and

circuit connections with the track for controlling said circuit-changer and thereby operating the motor tochange the signal.

11. A railway-signal comprising an electric motor, a shaft operated thereby to raise and lower the signal, a nut adapted to traverse a screw on said shaft, and circuit-breakers controlling the motor-circuits actuated by said 13. A railway-signal comprising a-signaloperating electric motor, a semaphore gearing therewith for positive control in either direction of movement, a current-reverser for reversing the motor-circuit,and track-circuits controlling the current-reverser to positively shift the semaphore. to danger or safety position when a train reaches different determinate positions on the track.

14. In a railway-signal the combination of a signal device, an electric motor positively controlling the signal device for both directions of movement, two normally open switches adapted to set the motor-circuits for different directions of movement of the motor, and track-relays for operating said reversers at different determinate positions of a train on the track.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 13th day of October, A. D. 1898.

HERBERT B. TAYLOR.

In presence of 'ALIOK G. MAOANDREW, ROBT. H. READ. 

